Install a Subframe & Suspension - Chris Alston's Chassisworks

Rather than retaining any part ofthe stock floor, Chris Alston elected toreplace it with a steel Chassisworkskit. Offered as a complete, trim-to-fitpackage, these prerolled floor panelsand belly-pan pieces are availablein your choice of either steel oraluminum.“It’s actually easier to rivet newfloor panels on top of the new framethan it is to try to fit and piece thestock floor around the new frame,”Chris explains. “When you keep thestock floor, you keep all the problemsthat came with it. By the time youcut out the wheel wells for eachside, you’ve cut away half the floor,anyway. If you go ahead and throwthe rest of it away, the frame cancome up higher; the car can sit lower;you have a lot more room for thesuspension; and you get a muchcleaner, neater installation.”At the outset of this project, Chrisintended to purchase and narrow aused 9-inch Ford rearend, then haveits axles resplined for about $100.However, a friend eagerly traded hiscomplete 9-inch assembly — includingdrum brakes — straight across forthe rare GT wheels that came withthis Mustang. Then John Mazzarella ofStrange Engineering offered an irresistibledeal on a pair of brand-newaxles. A universal Chassisworks backbrace stiffened up the entire housing.All of this back-half reconstructionleft no room beneath the body for afuel tank, necessitating a plastic cellin the trunk. Fully anticipating longhighway cruises in his new toy, Chrisinstalled a 16-gallon Pro Street celland mounting brackets — bringingthe grand total to just under $2000.Indeed, all of the parts that went intothis radically transformed Mustangcost less than rebuilding its engine —and will probably prove more importantto its quarter-mile performance Since this car will see regular street duty, Chris Alston selected the steel version of his rear-floorkit. Center sections come prebent and prerolled from Chassisworks to fit over the frame. (Thesefinished pieces have already been trimmed and notched to fit the Mustang’s roll cage, driveshaftloop and quarter panels.)Cleco clips holdthe variouspanels in place,pending powdercoating. The rearfirewall wascustom-built.(Chassisworkshas since addeda productionfirewall to itsinterior kit forthis application.)Followingpowder coating,the wheel tubs,belly pans andfloor sectionswill be rivetedto the frameand sealed withsilicone. Email: sales@cachassisworks.com Web: cachassisworks.com Chris Alston’s Chassisworks Inc., 8661 Younger Creek Drive, Sacramento, CA 958285